power to one of the six reactors which could help cool others. and police confirmed 5600 deaths and 9500 people still missing from the quake and the tsunami. thousands of people are in shelters and its snowing in the disaster areas. >> u.s. officials closely monitoring this crisis say focus is on reactors three and four, where spent fuel rods under great danger of releasing plumes of radioactivity. >> there is no end to the nuclear crisis at the fukishima plant. the focus is reactors three and four, where old, spent fuel rods are releasing plumes of radioactivity. >> hollywood likes to focus on the melt down, melted core, exposed uranium. old fuel is more dangerous because there is more radiation in unguarded pond. >> the mission to cool

reactors with helicopters dumping buckets of water failed. the japanese plan is to restart with a new power line, officials fear those may not work if energy is restored which is why the u.s. is sending a high pressure pump. >> all u.s. citizens in japan should continue to monitor situations and follow guidance of the u.s. and japanese governments. >> inside of the plant 180 workers at great right after this tok their lives are being reroe tated in and out of the danger zone. outside thousands are being evacuated. >> the government told us we're safe, this man says, so for this to have happened i'm shocked. the u.s. state department's first chartered plane left japan, they're trying to bust 600 americans from sendai, unable to leave because of damage, and blocked roads. >> and an idaho man in the

plant when the quake hit is sharing his story. chris hope, seen here on the right is now home, safe and friday he was at the plant. he says cracks appeared in the building and doors just would not open. and co-workers made it outside. >> cracks were opening at the ground. i looked and glass is breaking. lights. sirens. people screaming. >> the group headed uphill to a meeting spot missing the tsunami by minutes. he spent two minutes in a camp. then used back roads to make it to the tokyo airport in a flight home to his family, again. >> and officials reassuring everyone in california there is no serious threat of radiation from japan. this follows reports part cells in the jet stream will

reach los angeles tomorrow. the feds have moved more monitoring stations to the west coast, to help in that effort. one professor put one up last night. that is where we're live tonight. >> california has 12 detectors scattered around the state. epa is installing more in the wake of the disaster in japan. the one here is part science project for the students, and part public service. when and if any radioactive part cells reach california this filter will tell scientists what is floating in the air. this sets on the roof of the engineering kept department and down stairs engineers monitor readings around the clock. >> we want to tell the public and you, and everyone, what radiation, if there is any, what levels of radiation we have to deal w.

>> scientists will know if they find traces of raceo active isotopz causing serious health damage after chernyobl. many say what's happening in japan is not near that level of disaster. >> this is probably more than a three-mile island but less than a chernyobl. >> scientists don't expect notable changes until tomorrow. any radioactive part cell koz wo have to travel more than 5100 miles. transported near a jet stream across the ocean. and if that happens they predict levels will be lower. this chart shows how much radiation we live with. >> this is less still than regular flight, if you go to the clinic and have an x ray that is higher radiation you will be exposed to, there. >> the epa's radiation monitors may be more high tech than what is on uc berkeley's

roof tops but tell experts the same thick. this sits on tocht bay area air quality management district offices in san francisco western edition. >> words matter. >> u.s. surgeon general tried to calm fears. >> there is no reason to be afraid right now. they're not heading in our direction. >> scientists will get results this evening but they're not expected to say much. results will dprum air measure tomorrow, or following day, that is when and if they hit the west coast. >> thank you very much. and so far no planes entering the u.s. tested positive for raitdation at harmful levels. customs and border protection personnel at international airports are using detectors, passengers may not know they're being tested, in fact.

and we're live with the story. >> cargo and mail is being checked and we're seeing it leaving japan and arriving here at sfo because of the risk. u.s. customs agents saying detectors are being used at airports, sfo has equipment to also determined the type of radiation. passengers may not be aware they're being monitored. threats of being exposed worried joan. she had to make a connecting flight through tokyo. >> we heard about exposures and became more concerned. and if we're checking they're saying don't worry. >> we saw more family who's left, fearing for their health.

and ann ended up leaving from osaka. she says immigration offices were harder to deal with. >> immigration area was jam packed with people who were leaving, on emergency, because they didn't have the proper visa to get out of the count rye hannah was a high school freshman studying at international school and admits being concerned. >> a little bit. there is a a lot of hype on the news about nuclear reactors and stuff for plants and exposure. it's scary. >> her father says it took some work getting her out of japan. >> there is no specific danger she was in directly, but just uncertainty. >> saying her family insisted she travel to san francisco. >> when everything is

stabilized we plan to go back. >> and some are saying they feel somewhat guilty leaving loved ones behind but say their children, in this case, come first. i'm live at sfo, abc 7 news. >> thank you very much. uc berkeley has suspended it's study abrafd program one day after csu system ordered students to return home. cal's program includes 80 students, 30 staff. csu has 45 students. all students are safe, and we're glad to say have been accounted for. >> the coast guard and other agencies plan to keep using sonar to find 15 boats sunk in crescent city harbor. take a look. this shows efforts being taken to remove damaged vessels. some boats did leak fuel and oil into the water. that is why crews placed boons around the wreckage. it's using same technology to

find 13 boats that sank in jant cruz harbor. >> coming up right after this newscast, on world news with diane sawyer a look at brave men, so called fukushima 50 that volunteered to stay and work in hopes of averting a nuclear melt down at great personal risk. >> to the crisis in libya? the un security council authoring a no-fly zone over liba. authorizing states to use all necessary limits saying the u.s. could begin imposing not-fly zone almost immediately. today pro gaddafi forces have circled bengazi as libyan war planes bombed bengazi's airport. lynnan state tv claims they intend to attack saturday.

>> lawmakers in sacramento today continued their progress in trying to slash the deficit, cutting $7 billion yesterday, hoping to cut another $7 billion by day's end. lawmakers talked about fee increases for higher education. >> this means people goring to have to be paying more to go to community colleges but currently tax payers fund 90% of a community college ed oox we're trying to work towards budget balanced getting our fiscal house back in order so we can begin to reinvest in our educational system. >> tuesday, local teachers protested as school districts started to mail out 19,000 pink slips. many will be rescinded if state cuts don't go through. >> big wave surfers under shock after the death of a well known hawaiian surfer at mavericks near half moon bay. crews found the body alock th

the -- along the san mateo coastline last night this, you tube video shows him surfing waves at mavericks. waves reached as high as 60 feet ai. friend witnessed the last moments. >> a huge smile. just this giant wave comes he's like hey got to go. giant smile, and he went. and that was the last time i saw him. it's just -- like, wow. and engraifd on my mind. smiling, took off and went z basically rode that wave straight to heaven. >> and he says he appears to have drowned after the lip of the wave collapsed on him. he leaves behind a wife and two daughters on kauai. >> today perspective jurors came to court and the judge ruled against prosecution throwing out evidence. 50 perspective jurors filled out question yairs today by lawyers from both sides.

the judge said prosecutors may not use recordings of voice mails to his former mistress saying tapes at best are marginal and there is nobody, i think argued there is anything that has anything to do with case, maybe it's time to get down to what evidence is. >> and bonds is on trial for lying about knowingly using performance enhancing drug autos coming up tonight, big problems in big sur, part of highway 1 crumbles, creating a major obstacle. >> and and i'm sandhya patel. i'll have details on next storm coming up. >> and how you can capture sounds of the golden gate bridge to help this celebration. stay with us.

>> closed captioning brought to you by mancini sleepworld. caltrans believes it may take up to a month to fix this part of highway 1. as you can see there is a large chunk of the bay bridge fell around 5:00 last night. all southbound lanes disappeared, and it looks like soil is giving way beneath the northbound labor as well. and merchants are worry koit cost between 50% to 70% of the business. >> crews started tunneling on the oakland side of the expanded caldecott tunnel today, marking a major milestone for the fourth floor project. work is expected to take longer because of rock conditions. and two lanes have been added to the tunnel which should ease traffic congestion. the new tunnel was open to

traffic by late 2013. >> you're being asked to help answer the question what does the golden gate bridge sound like? there is a composition in the works to celebrate the opening of the bridge. and artists are looking for your input. >> we know what the golden gate bridge looks like but what does it sound like? >> commissioned to work, inspired by what happened here every day. >> the unique feature is the fact we're going into the community and asking people to contribute. >> showing their ideas on the facebook page. >> up loading sounds and videos, that might be incorporated into this piece. >> and this is sounds that are being recorded.

>> i've gotten sounds of sea gulls and traffic. bicycle. bicycle bells. >> and he's finding elements he needs. >> i like the sounds that are great. and yes. more. >> it's an inspiration, every movement, cable, every lane. and every sound. and max plays fair enough. >> this is rolling a repetitive cord sounding uncertain. >> the premier will be may, 2012. time for to it come together part of a community celebration of the bridge's 75th anniversary opening in april, 1937. this is like a tribute. >> i think of the engineers and human spirits behind the

design and construction. and men that built it expect a majestic tribute to music. >> and neat idea. >> luck of the irish has been with us weather wise but that changed. >> changes are coming up. >> and this next storm is going to be a wet and windy one. a stronger one moves in on sunday. outside we'll talk about all of the storms in just a moment from our camera looking towards the ocean beach area. you can see it's been a beautiful day across the bay area. there has v.been a few light showers in the north bay. and there is a few with clouds are moving through. it's nice outside. we still have a few showers in

the far northern end of the viewing area. very light rainfall accumulations around santa rosa. temperatures into 50s and 60s, here are the highlights. rain, wind friday heavy at times. a chance of thunderstorms and going to be a stormy start to spring. spring arriving sunday and there is a is a storm that will bring in wind ahead of the system. count on gusty wind. 5:00 north bay is starting to see heavier commute. around 7:00 a.m. still focused in north. and you start notice heaviest rainfall is in the south bay around 3:00 in the afternoon. behind the front we're going to get colder air and wet

roadways for evening get away. and there is possibility of snow. and there is showers on friday. so rainfall totals through friday night look like this. there is about three-quarters to an inch and a half in the north bay. jant cruz mountains could see up to an inch and a half of rain. everyone else is in between that so there is a good soaker. continuing into 9:00 p.m. saturday, that storm kicking up waves and there is a minor coastal flooding and strong rip currents. there is is a is low-lying

flooding f you're heading to sierra nevada goitsing to mean snow and quite a bit of it. there is a winter storm warning above 7,000 feet. so a heavy dose of snow coming up. temperatures tonight not as low as last night. clouds around, numbers into. >> 40s and there is a numbers into 50s and 60s, and there is a wet eding to the work week, stormy, showers saturday thunderstorms there. spring beginning at 4:21 p.m. sunday. showers for your monday, tuesday. and rain wednesday. and more wet weather in store for thursday. there is no end in sight right now. just looks like day after day, wet weather. >> helping our reservoir autos this will. >> coming up, local students giving troops a reason to

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state republican lawmakers will be one man short when it comes to future budget votes. assemblyman has been called to serve in afghanistan. he is a naval intelligence officer. the report tomorrow to begin serving a one-year tour of duty. lawmakers must be present in order to cast a vote. >> ugs u.s. service members in afghanistan and iraq will soon receive a gift of laughter from some livermore school

children. >> and isn't that cute? students are writing knock knock jokes included in care packages to soldiers and marines sent overseas. >> i think this will make them happy. and think of good things. >> we want them to be happy. >> that is a all 700 students decided to pitch in. >> great idea. >> up next getting into spirit of st. patrick's day. >> there is still time to kick up your heels.

coming up some might call it bad timing. why pg&e wants to down grade the theft to its california nuclear plant. >> fight outside of a bar. why officials say it represents a disturbing uptick in hate crimes. plus... you have not earned those powers... >> the power of limitless. why our don sanchez thinks this bradley cooper-robert denearo film is one of the year's best so far, coming up at 6:00. >> hoping you'd say that. >> finally people celebrate st. patrick's day in many ways and today a group of dancers brought a bit of the emerald isle into our studios. these are the murphy irish dancers ow